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Amphillis was off duty for the moment, and had seated herself with her work at the window of her own room, which looked into the outer court, and over the walls towards Derby. She kept upstairs a good deal at this time. There were several reasons for this.
Kate appeared to have quite forgotten her trouble, and entered into Agatha's mischievous fun with all the thoughtless glee of a child. "Agatha," said Amphillis, "my Lady Foljambe should be heavy angered if she wist thy dealing. Prithee, work not thus. If Father Jordan verily believed thou wert a ghost, it were well-nigh enough to kill him, poor sely old man.
"Go near," said Perrote to Amphillis, "and kiss her Grace's hand." Amphillis did as she was told. The lady, after offering her hand for the kiss, turned it and gently lifted the girl's face. "Dost thou serve God?" she said, in a voice which matched her eyes. "I hope so, Dame," replied Amphillis. "I hope nothing," said the mysterious lady. "It is eight years since I knew what hope was.
But when, on the afternoon of that eventful day, Amphillis went, as was now usual, to mount guard in the Countess's chamber, she was desired, in that lady's customary manner "Bid Avena Foljambe come and speak with me." Amphillis hesitated an instant, and her mistress saw it. "Well? "Dame, I cry your Grace mercy.
She wished to be close at hand if her services were needed; she had no fancy for Agatha's rattle; and she had not asked herself why she instinctively kept away from the company of Norman Hylton. Amphillis was not one of those girls who wear their hearts upon their sleeves; who exhibit their injuries, bodily or mental, and chatter freely over them to every comer.
When any say to you, `Amphillis, you tell not your lady, you say to yourself, `I want noting to do wid you; I keep to myself, and I have no secrets from my lady. Dat is gut!" "Mistress Regina, wot you who is the lady I am to serve?" "I know noting, no more dan you no, not de name of de lady you dis evening saw. She came from de Savoy so much know I, no more."
"Phyllis, thou wilt lie in my Lady's pallet, tonight," said Perrote, as she let her into their own chamber. Amphillis looked rather alarmed. She had never yet been appointed to that responsible office. But it was not her nature to protest against superior orders; and she quietly gathered up such toilet articles as she required, and prepared to obey.
As they came out into the open country, Amphillis was greeted, to her surprise, by a voice she knew. "God be wi' ye, Mistress Amphillis!" said Clement Winkfield, coming up and walking for a moment alongside, as the horse mounted the slight rising ground.
"Oh, Phyllis is a metely fair cook, when she will give her mind thereto," said Alexandra with a patronising air, and a little toss of her head a gesture to which that young lady was much addicted. A very slight look of amusement passed across Mistress Chaucer's face, but she did not reply to the remark. "And thy name?" she asked, still addressing Amphillis.
"I have nothing in the world," said Amphillis, with a shake of her head, "save an uncle and cousins, which dwell in London town." "Ha!" said Mistress Perrote, in a significant tone. "That is wherefore you were chosen." "Because I had no kin?" said Amphillis, looking up. "That, and also that you were counted discreet. And discreet you had need be for this charge."
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